Panel Could Scrap Dietary Cholesterol Advice

The once-common advice to avoid cholesterol for a healthier heart may no longer be a concern. In a draft report by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, the panel scrapped guidelines on high-cholesterol food avoidance, no longer listing it as a “nutrient of concern.”

While people with high levels of LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, in their blood are at a greater risk of a heart attack than those with normal levels, cardiologists are finding that genetics play a larger role than diet in determining these cholesterol levels. Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic notes that only 20% of a person’s blood cholesterol comes from their diet.